


We keep this love in a photograph (Rosie's stories)

by Links



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 05:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9478340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Links/pseuds/Links
Summary: “It’s your fault, you know. Why couldn’t you let her watch a Disney film, heh?”“We watched plenty of Disney…”“Pirates of the Carribean doesn’t count!”Rosie's life told through a series of photographs.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Heard Sheeran's song yesterday and the idea just popped into my mind - what if Rosie's life could be told through a series of photographs?  
> With a Johnlock side dish of course!   
> I intend to turn this into a series, but each chapter can be read separately.

“Rosie, hey Rosie! Look at me baby!”

No answer. Rosie remains still, her head stubbornly bent, her arms folded.

Giving her Dad the cold shoulder _and_ the silent treatment.

That should teach him.

The sound of a page quietly turned over.

“I told you it won’t work.”

Deep sigh.

“But why? Girls like pink, don’t they?”

“Rosie doesn’t like it.”

Too right she doesn’t. When Daddy came back in the flat earlier and showed her the dress he has bought for her, saying “The perfect dress for my little princess!”, she clearly said “No”.

“But… You didn’t even try it on!”

“And I don’t want to!”

“No” is a word she knows very well, thanks to Papa, who says it quite often – at least when she is concerned.

“No, Rosie, you can’t play with the skull. Or the Petri dish. And don’t touch the violin case either!”

The rule is clear – he says “No”, she obeys. Or rather she tries to. Not her fault the gifts under the Christmas tree last month were so shiny, after all.

So, Daddy should have known better than to assume she would change her mind as regards the dress.

“Rosamund Molly Watson! If you don’t put on this dress and look at the camera right now, I swear there’ll be no more Oreos for dessert, you understand?”

Rosie is definitely not impressed. Not when the nice lady in the flat below theirs always comes up with sweets in her pockets – “Don’t tell your father, it’s our secret!”.

“Mmmmm… Your soldier voice. I like it.”

“Gosh, you both are impossible. I quit.”

“You won’t.”

Of course he won’t, Rosie thinks. Silly Daddy. If she’s sure of one thing in her comfy little world, it’s that her dad will always be there for her.

Her Dad and her Papa as well.

“It’s your fault, you know. Why couldn’t you let her watch a Disney film, heh?”

“We watched plenty of Disney…”

“ _Pirates of the Carribean_ doesn’t count!”

Rosie can’t stop herself giggling before biting her lower lip. She loves everything about pirates – from Jack Sparrow’s strange expressions to Long John Silver’s parrot and Morgan Adams’ swagger (finally a _girl_ pirate!)

“You can be anyone you want, Rosie,” Papa whispered in her ear when watching the film. “Anything your little heart desires.”

And he knows what he’s talking about. After all, isn’t he the only consulting detective in the whole world? A fact he loves to repeat, especially when Uncle Mycroft pays them a visit.

“I hear you, young lady. Don’t think you’re getting off so easily…”

“For God’s sake, John, you really want to take a picture of Rosie in this… frilly monstrosity?”

“This monstrosity, as you call it, cost me twenty quids!”

“And to think you always complained of the price of my books…”

“Oh, for the love of… Are you going to help me or not? As Rosie clearly doesn’t want to listen to me…”

She knows he’s trying to make her feel guilty. It won’t work.

“It depends.”

“On what?”

Rosie bites her lip. If Papa gets involved, she’s not sure she will be able to keep on sulking. He simply has a way with her that no one else has – making her smile, laugh, lulling her to sleep when Father Christmas was supposed to visit their home, even if she has _sworn_ to stay awake.

“On what I get in return, of course…”

Snort of laughter.

“When you’re like this, I really think I have two children instead of one…”

“I’ll disabuse you of this notion as soon as you put Rosie to bed…”

“Stop. Right. Now.”

 “Why? Is it working?”

No need to turn her head, Rosie can hear the smile in her Papa’s voice – a smile not unlike the Cheshire cat’s of _Alice in Wonderland_.

“Maybe.”

Her Daddy’s voice sounds a bit strained. Maybe he has caught a cold? If she was still talking to him, Rosie would tell him to go to Mrs Hudson - she has cough drops.

“You know what you have to do.”

“Oh very well you ba… Ahum. Help me and you can do the thing…”

“Which thing?”

“Don't play the innocent, it doesn't suit you."

“Oh. _This_ thing.”

Rosie raises her head a little. It’s on the tip of her tongue to ask what they’re talking about, but Papa chooses this moment to get up from his seat, a radiant smile on his lips like he has won the lottery. It doesn’t bode well for her.

A feeling which is reinforced when he kneels next to her and whispers in her ear “Rosie, if you put on this dress and let Daddy take a nice pic of you…”

She still doesn’t say anything. She’s waiting for the “then you’ll have…”, for the treat to come.

And it’s better be a good one!

“… then afterwards we’ll burn it down in Mrs Hudson’s backyard.”

“What? No!”

Rosie doesn’t hear her Daddy’s protest. Instead she throws her little arms around her Papa’s neck, laughing when he effortlessly lifts her off the ground.

“Sherlock…”

“A deal is a deal, John.”

Rosie has never been so fast to put on a dress and smile in front of the camera.

 

Years later, Papa lets it slip he also burned down this damned photo, when Daddy was not looking.

“You’re definitely the best.”

“I know, sweetheart”.

 


End file.
